Corum in 'Hordes of the Things
Army Lists
By Russell Strachan
I have compiled my HOTT take on Michael Moorcock's Corum series of books. In part one below I have listed the armies involved in the first series of books. Part 2 looks at the second series. I hope they are of some interest.
Part 1 - The Books of Corum:
There are few pitched battles or sieges in the first series of Corum books. The forces of good are few in number and very much on the back foot most of the time. The forces of evil are much more numerous.
Book One - The Knight of Swords
The Siege of Moidel's Castle
The Army of the Margravine of Allomglyl (Law)
|
Blade General @ 2AP |
(Corum) |
1 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Mounted Lancers) |
4 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Armoured Archers Shooters) |
4 |
|
Fliers @ 2AP |
(Giant bats with riders) |
1 |
|
God @ 4AP |
(The Dead Margrave's Ghost Ship) |
1 |
Notes
1. At this early stage Corum, while heroic, does not possess the attributes of an all slaying hero. In fact he has only one eye and one hand. It is not until later that he is given the Hand of Kwill and the Eye of Rhynn which allow him to take the fight to the enemy in a satisfyingly heroic manner.
2. The men of Moidel's castle were largely armoured with giant, pinkish murex shells. Their numbers have been exaggerated in order to make up the 24 AP needed.
3. The Dead Margrave's Ghost Ship is hard to categorize. It is crewed by undead sailors, but causes the side of good to win because of its fear factor. I've decided to count it as a god (it had to be summoned). I would let the ship `sail' over land in a god-like manner. As an alternative you could forget about the ship as such and just give the defenders some hordes (but where would be the fun in that?).
Army of Earl Glandyth-a-Krae (Chaos)
Stronghold: Wagon laager
|
Rider General @ 2AP |
(Earl Glandyth-a-Krae) |
1 |
|
Knights @ 2AP |
(Charioteers) |
3 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Pony Tribesmen) |
8 |
Notes:
1. The charioteers are graded as knights to differentiate them from the pony tribesmen.
Book Two - The Queen of Swords
The Siege of Helwyg
The Army of King Onald (Law)
|
Blade General @ 2AP |
(King Onald) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Corum) |
1 |
|
Hordes @ 1AP |
(Corum's Chaos pack from Limbo) |
3 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Mounted Lancers) |
2 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Armoured Archers) |
2 |
|
Spears @ 2AP |
(Armoured Spearmen) |
2 |
|
Airboats @ 3AP |
(Airships) |
1 |
Notes
1. Corum now has the Hand of Kwill and the Eye of Rhynn which allow him to summon help in the form of undead creatures from limbo. These creatures are a little hard to define as they are powerful because of their relentlessness rather than martial skill. I've plumped for hordes.
Army of Earl Glandyth-a-Krae (Chaos)
Stronghold: Wagon laager
|
Warband General @ 2AP |
(King Lyr-a-Brode) |
1 |
|
Knights @ 2AP |
(Mabden Charioteers) |
1 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Mabden horsemen) |
2 |
|
Warband @ 2AP |
(Mabden warriors) |
3 |
|
Beasts @ 2AP |
(Beasts of the Dog army) |
1 |
|
Blades @ 2AP |
(Beasts of the Horned Bear) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Prince Gaynor) |
4 |
|
Hordes @ 1AP |
(Prince Gaynor's Chaos pack) |
2 |
Notes:
1. This army would be much better represented by two armies. One being that of King Lyr-a-Brode and containing only Mabden troops. The other would be led by Gaynor and contain the Chaotic pack and the armies of the Dog and the Horned Bear. Numbers would just be adjusted proportionally.
2. The dog army creatures seem to be like very large wolves. The bears have huge clubs.
Part 2 - The Chronicles of Corum
These lists are based on the second Corum series where he is summoned far into the future to once again aid mankind. Corum no longer has the Hand of Kwill or the Eye of Rhynn. Instead he relies on a silver hand of his own making.
Book One - The Bull and the Spear
The Siege of Caer Mahlod
Army of the Mabden (Man)
Stronghold: A hill fort, Caer Mahlod.
|
Spear General @ 2AP |
(King Mannach) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Corum with spear of Bryionak) |
1 |
|
God @ 4AP |
(The Black Bull of Crinanass) |
1 |
|
Shooters@ 4AP |
(Mabden archers) |
1 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Mabden battle snares) |
1 |
|
Spears @ 2AP |
(Mabden pike and spearmen) |
3 |
|
Blades @ 2AP |
(Mabden sword and axemen) |
2 |
Notes:
1. Mabden men and women both fought in battle. The women seem more likely to be battle snare users. The battle snare being a weighted thong, used like South American bolas. They are also adept at using slings loaded with magical tathlum.
2. The Black Bull of Crinanass had to be summoned magically and scared the heck out of the Fhoi Myore (the nasty ones, see below) and basically cleans up most of the bad guys single handed (hoofed?) in the final battle. Sounds more like a god than a behemoth to me.
The Army of the Fhoi Myore
Stronghold Magical, misty area of ground
|
Behemoth General @ 4AP |
(Kerenos) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Fhoi Myore) |
1 |
|
Artillery @ 3AP |
(Balahar) |
1 |
|
Beasts @ 2AP |
(Kerenos's Hounds) |
2 |
|
Horde @ 1AP |
(Ghoolegh) |
3 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Pine Folk) |
2 |
|
Blade or Knight @ 2AP |
(Gaynor the Damned) |
1 |
Notes:
1. The Fhoi Myore, including Kerenos, but not Balahar (see below), each represent 2-3 Fhoi Myore (there are seven altogether). The are misshapen giants who ride to battle on large, clumsy wood and wicker chariots drawn by lizard like beasts.
2. Balahar one-eyed has a glance that freezes and might be best represented as artillery.
3. Kerenos's Hounds are large, (pony-sized) white wolf like creatures with red ear tufts.
4. Ghoolegh are white skinned, man like, undead creatures. They are armed with bows and spears. While they don't seem too skilled, they prove hard to kill.
5. Pine Folk: pale green hair, pale green skin, pale green clothes...you get the idea. Used to be men, now have the sap of pine trees instead of blood.
6. Gaynor the Damned is virtually indestructible and I would usually count him as a hero. However in this story he acts quite cravenly and as such is much downgraded. Choose whether to use Gaynor as knight or blade at deployment.
Book Two - The Oak and the Ram
The Siege of Garanhir
Army of the Mabden (Man)
Stronghold: Castle Garanhir
|
Hero General @ 4AP |
(Corum) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Goffanon) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Ilbrec) |
1 |
|
Blades @ 2AP |
(War knights) |
2 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Warriors) |
4 |
Notes:
1. As King Daffyn refuses to fight after the death of his son, Corum assumes the mantle of leader.
2. Goffanon is a Sidhi dwarf and as such is only 8 ft tall.
3. Ilbrec is a full sized Sidhi warrior at 16-18 ft.
4. Since the war knights are all armed with death dealing hangovers, I would suggest that they receive a -1 in combat in a refight of this battle.
The Army of the Fhoi Myore
Stronghold: Magical, misty area of ground
|
Behemoth General @ 4AP |
(Kerenos Behemoth) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Fhoi Myore) |
1 |
|
Magician @ 4AP |
(Calatin) |
1 |
|
Blade or Knight @ 2AP |
(Prince Gaynor) |
1 |
|
Horde @ 1AP |
(Ghoolegh) |
4 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Pine Folk) |
3 |
Notes:
Calatin is a Magician who hitches his fortunes to the Fhoi Myore. He has the power to control Goffanon in this battle. To simulate this I would suggest that if Calatin defeats Goffanon in battle or magically then Goffanon becomes under the control of Calatin until either is killed or moves out of magical range of the other. To be really cruel/fair, Calatin should only have to be in magical range to exert control.
Book Three - The Sword and the Stallion
The Attack on Caer Llud
Army of the Mabden (Man)
Stronghold: Tents
|
Cleric General @ 3AP |
(Archdruid Amergin the High King) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Goffanon) |
1 |
|
Sneaker @ 3AP |
(Jhary-a-Conel) |
1 |
|
Warband @ 2AP |
(Northern Mabden) |
4 |
|
Blades @ 2AP |
(War knights) |
1 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Warriors) |
1 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Charioteers) |
1 |
The Army of the Fhoi Myore
Stronghold: Caer Llud
|
Behemoth General @ 4AP |
(Kerenos) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Fhoi Myore) |
1 |
|
Magician @ 4AP |
(Calatin) |
1 |
|
Blade or Knight @ 2AP |
(Prince Gaynor) |
1 |
|
Horde @ 1AP |
(Ghoolegh) |
4 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Pine Folk) |
3 |
Notes:
1. Because Corum is not present Gaynor could be regraded as a Hero.
2. The rule about Calatin controlling Goffanon remains unless Jhary-a-Conel has been in base contact with Calatin, in which case Calatin loses his power over Goffanon.
The Defense of Craig Don: The Final Battle
Army of the Mabden (Man)
Stronghold Stone circles on a hill
|
Hero General @ 4AP |
(Corum) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Goffanon) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Ilbrec) |
1 |
|
Waband @ 2AP |
(Northern Mabden) |
2 |
|
Blades @ 2AP |
(War knights) |
1 |
|
Shooters @ 2AP |
(Warriors) |
1 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Charioteers) |
1 |
Notes
1. Sactric of Malibann (as a winged cat) and his sister Terhali (as a mummified head in a bronze and gold casket) could be used as an alternative troop type. Very pivotal to the story but again a bit hard to put into HOTT terms (which is why I didn't put them in the main list). Definitely very powerful magicians. However they use illusion, not battle magic as such. Magicians if used I guess.
The Army of the Fhoi Myore
Stronghold: Magical, misty area of ground
|
Behemoth General @ 4AP |
(Kerenos) |
1 |
|
Behemoth @ 4AP |
(Fhoi Myore) |
1 |
|
Hero @ 4AP |
(Prince Gaynor) |
1 |
|
Horde @ 1AP |
(Ghoolegh) |
6 |
|
Riders @ 2AP |
(Pine Folk) |
3 |
Notes:
1. Gaynor becomes braver in this battle and is graded as a hero, even with Corum present. However I would suggest that he be at -1 in all battles with Corum.
2. Again Balahar one-eyed may be represented as seperate artillery.